Affordable Connectivity Program

First, visit AffordableConnectivity.gov to determine whether your household qualifies. Follow the enrollment steps on the website, then call Ritter Communications and select a service plan to begin receiving the monthly discount off your bill.

No, the Affordable Connectivity Program provides a monthly discount on internet service of up to $30 per eligible household. Once you qualify and enroll in the program with Ritter Communications, you will receive a discount on eligible services on your monthly bill. At the conclusion of the benefit, you will be subject to Ritter Communications general rates, terms, and conditions if you continue to subscribe to Ritter Communications broadband service.

Ritter Communications does not sell computer equipment and is not participating in the one-time discount program on laptops, desktop computers or any other device.

The Affordable Connectivity Program provides a monthly discount for internet service up to $30 per eligible household. The discount will be applied to your internet service, but the ultimate cost to you will depend on the service plan you select from a participating provider.

A household is eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program if the household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or if a member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:

• Participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or Lifeline
• Participates in the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision
• Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year

Yes, the benefit is available to eligible new, prior and existing Ritter Communications customers.

The Affordable Connectivity Program is limited to one monthly service discount per household, which is defined as any individual or group of individuals who are living together at the same address and share income and expenses. Only one benefit may be applied to a single Ritter Communications account. Learn more and find a household worksheet at https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/do-i-qualify/what-is-a-household/

Lifeline is the FCC's program to help make communications services more affordable for low-income consumers. To participate in the Lifeline program, consumers must either have an income that is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participate in certain federal assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, Supplemental Security Income, the Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefit, or certain Tribal Programs. You can see if you are eligible by reviewing the information available at lifelinesupport.org (click "Do I Qualify?").

No. You must opt-in or request enrollment in the Affordable Connectivity Program with Ritter Communications and choose an eligible service plan.

Yes. They can be applied to the same qualifying service or separately to a Lifeline service and an Affordable Connectivity Program service with the same or different providers. For example, an eligible household could have a Lifeline-supported mobile phone service and a separate home broadband service that is supported through the Affordable Connectivity Program.

Yes. Households with a student enrolled in a school or school district where every student receives this benefit are eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program.

The services will be accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. If you have any concerns about whether your services are accessible, contact the FCC's Disability Rights office at 202-418-2517 for a voice phone call, at 844-432-2275 by videophone, or by email at DRO@fcc.gov.

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Two-Steps to Enroll

1. Go to AffordableConnectivity.gov to submit an application or print out a mail-in application.
2. Contact Ritter Communications to select a service plan and have the discount applied to your bill.

Eligible households must both apply for the program and contact Ritter Communications to select a service plan.

Yes, if you applied online at AffordableConnectivity.gov or by mail and have been approved, you need to contact Ritter Communications and select a service plan in order to begin receiving the monthly discount off your bill.

If you submit an application to the Affordable Connectivity Program Support Center by mail, you will receive updates by mail regarding your application status (or by email if you provided an email address on your application). For example, USAC will contact you if additional information or documents are needed and if your application has been approved. Once you receive notification that you qualify for the Affordable Connectivity Program, you can sign up for service with Ritter Communications following the instructions provided in the email or letter confirming your approval.

Yes. You must opt-in or request enrollment in the Affordable Connectivity Program with Ritter Communications and choose an eligible service plan.

"Household" is defined as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address as one economic unit. An "economic unit" is defined as "all adult individuals contributing to and sharing in the income and expenses of a household." The Affordable Connectivity Program support is available to eligible low-income subscribers living in group living facilities. Applicants may be asked to complete a one-per-household worksheet, which asks questions about your household to determine if there is more than one household at your address. The Affordable Connectivity Program is limited to one monthly service discount and one connected device discount per household. Learn more at https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/do-i-qualify/what-is-a-household/

Consumers will need to provide documentation if their eligibility cannot be confirmed automatically by checking a program eligibility database (SNAP or Medicaid, for example). Documents you can use to prove your eligibility include:

• Benefit award letter
• Approval letter
• Statement of benefits
• Benefit verification letter
• For federal Pell Grants, documents should be from this academic year and can include, for example, screenshots of a StudentAid.gov dashboard that clearly documents the student's receipt of a Pell Grant during the current award year.

Applicants may also need to provide documentation to confirm their identity or address.

You can learn more about the documentation you may need to provide and how to submit it by visiting: https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/how-to-apply/show-you-qualify/.

There are two different ways to prove your child is approved.

1. If your child attends a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), school, when applying online select “Free and Reduced Price School Lunch or Breakfast Program” on the “Confirm You Qualify” page. You can then indicate that your child is enrolled at a CEP school by entering the name of the school and uploading documentation that demonstrates that your child is enrolled at that school.

The documentation must include:

• • The student's (benefit qualifying person's) name
  • Name of the school or of the school district
  • A date that coincides with the 2019-2020, 2020-2021, or 2021-2022 school year.

Examples of acceptable documentation include a child’s report card or a letter from the school or school district indicating the child’s enrollment. Generic school notices that do not include the benefit qualifying person’s name would not be sufficient to enroll in the program based on the CEP.

2. Households that have separately applied for and been approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or school breakfast program can also apply online by selecting “Free and Reduced Price School Lunch or Breakfast Program” on the “Confirm You Qualify” page. You will also be required to submit documentation, such as a letter from a school or school district confirming that the household’s child or dependent is approved to receive free and reduced-price school lunch or school breakfast.

You can learn more about the documentation you may need to provide and how to submit it by visiting: https://www.affordableconnectivity.gov/how-to-apply/show-you-qualify/

If you are a person with a disability and need assistance with your Affordable Connectivity Program application, contact the Affordable Connectivity Program Support Center at AffordableConnectivity.gov, via email ACPSupport@usac.org or call 877-384-2575.

If you have a question about whether your Affordable Connectivity Program service and equipment is accessible, contact the FCC's Disability Rights Office at 202-418-2517 for a voice phone call, at 844-432-2275 by videophone, or by email at DRO@fcc.gov.

You may be able to do so. Contact us at 888-336-4466 to discuss the plans that are eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program.

No. Ritter Communications is only reimbursed by USAC, for the cost of the plan up to $30 per eligible household.

Yes. You are responsible for any amount over $30 per month for eligible services covered under the Affordable Connectivity Program.

The Affordable Connectivity Program can be applied to the cost of a bundle of services that include broadband, voice and/or associated equipment. If your bundle also includes a TV service, you will be responsible for that portion of your bill, as well as any services that are above the monthly discount.